Clutch mechanism for power operated portable tools



Nov. 30, 1937. c w. RIPSCH ET AL CLUTCH MECHANISM FQR POWER OPERATED PORTABLE TOOLS Filed Jan. 12; 1934 1 v A /4 4 Z 0 8 5 4. 4 2 2 M 5 B 3 E F F Uni-ATTORNEY 5 in Fig. 1.

Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR POWER OPER- ATED PORTABLE TOOLS Charles W. Ripsch and Bernard H. Wuebben,

Dayton, Ohio, assignors to The Buckeye Portable Tool Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 12, 1934, Serial No. 706,416

3 Claims. (Cl. 192-56).

This invention relates to clutch mechanism for power operated portable tools, such as are commonly used for running a nut onto or off of a bolt, or for similar purposes. The present invention is in the nature of an improvement on the clutch mechanism shown and claimed in the application of Ripsch, Bennett, Sandel and Price, filed August 12, 1933, Serial No. 684,796. In the apparatus of that application power is transmitted from the power unit to the front driving member, which is connected with the wrench or other tool to. be operated, through the medium of a coiled spring which can be operatively rotated in a forward direction only. Consequently the wrench or other tool could not be rotated in a reverse direction, for the purpose of removing a nut or for like purposes.

One object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind by means of which the wrench or other tool may be operated in either direction.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide such an apparatus which will be very simple in its construction, in whichthe reversing mechanism will not in any way interfere with the forward operation of the apparatus, and which will add little to the cost of the apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to simplify the connection between the driving spring and the front driving member and to facilitate the assembly of the apparatus.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the apparatus is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 isa longitudinal sectional view taken through an apparatus embodying our invention, a part only of the power unit'being shown; Fig. 2 is a transversesectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig, -1; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. l;

and Fig. 5 is an elevation of the mechanism forconnecting the front driving member with the power unit, looking in the direction of the arrow In this drawing-we have illustrated one embodiment 'of our invention and have shown the same as embodied in a power operated wrench of the type shown in the above mentioned application but it will be understood that the invention may take various forms and may be em bodied in power operated tools of various kinds.

The particular apparatus here illustrated comprises a power unit which includes a casing l0 having mounted therein a rotatable member, such as a gear ll,-which is driven by a suitable motor which is preferably mounted within the casing, but is not here shown. This rotatable member or gear is connected by a tubular shaft l2 with a clutch member I3. Rigidly connected driving member.

to and forming a part of the casing I0 is a forwardly projecting tubular structure or extension I4 which encloses the clutch member l3 and is adapted to support the driving mechanism for the tool.

Mounted within the tubular extension I4 is a tubular front driving member I5, the extension being provided with a bushing IS in which the driving member is mounted for both rotary movement and for axial movement with relation to the power unit. At its forward end this front driving member is provided with means for connecting the same with the tool or other device to be operated and in the present instance, it is provided with a chuck I! to receive the shank of a tool, such as a wrench l8. The rear end portion of the front driving member is enlarged I to provide a recess having afront wall or shoulder l9 and a longitudinal circumferential flange 20. Mounted at the rear end of the front driving member is a rear driving member which, in the present construction, is mounted in the rear end of the tubular front driving member and, as here shown, this rear driving member comprises a head 2| mounted in the recess at the rear end of the front driving member' and engaging the shoulder IS. The front portion of the rear driving member is of reduced diameter, as shown at 22, and fits within the body portion of the tubular front driving member. This rear driving member is thus capable of rotation with or with relation to the-front driving member.

Mounted within the tubular front driving member is a longitudinal spindle 23, the forward end of which is mounted in and rigidly secured to the front end of the front driving member, as by means of a pin 24. The rearend of the spindle is rotatably mounted in a bearing 2.5 in the rear driving member and is held against axial movement with relation thereto by a shoulde'r 26 on the spindle, which engages the front end of the bearing 25, and a nut 21 mounted on the spindle and engaging the rear end ofthe bearing 25. Mounted about the spindle 23 for longitudinal movement with relation thereto is a member which forms a part of the slip connection between therear driving member and the front driving member and which, in the present construction, also forms a support for another part of the slip connection. In the arrangement shown this supporting member comprises a sleeve 28 having at its forward end means for connecting the same with the front driving member to cause the latter to rotate therewith but which will permit of the axial movement of the supporting member withv relation to the As here shown this means is in the form oflaterallyextending'parts or lugs 29 secured to and preferably formed integral with the front end portion of the supporting member or sleeve 28. These laterally extending tending inwardly from the wall of the front driving member and, in the construction here shown,

the front driving member is provided with an integral collar 30 which is-slotted at 3| to receive the lugs; Thus the supporting member or sleeve may be inserted in the tubular driving member from the rear end thereof and operatively con nected therewith.

Mounted within the supporting member or sleeve 28 and coiled about the spindle 23 is a spring 32 which is confined between the rear end of the sleeve and a nut 33 mounted on the front portion of the spindle 23. Preferably a collar 34 is loosely mounted about the spindle 23 and serves to centralize the sleeve 28 with relation-thereto, and to provide a bearing surface for the nut 33. By adjusting the nut on thespindle the tension of the spring 32 may'bevaried. The nut may be held in its adjusted positions by any suitablemeans and we have here shown a resilient band 35 mounted about the front driving member and having a lip 36 extending inwardly through a slot 31 in the wall of the front driving member to engage any one of a series of notches 38 in thehead of the nut. In the present instance, the slot 31 forms an extension of one of the slots 39 which are formed in the wall of the front driving member in the operation of slotting the integral.

collar 30.

The rear driving member may be connected with the front driving member in any suitable manner which will cause :the two members to normally rotate in unison but which will permit the rear driving member to rotate with relation to the front driving member when excessive resistance is offered to the rotation of the latter.

relation thereto when-excessive resistance is offered to the rotation of the sleeve, as would result from the tightening of a nut. The continued r0- tation of the'annular part with relation to the sleeve parts will cause the latter to be subjected to a succession of blows which will be transmitted to the nut to drive the same to its final position. In the particular construction here illustrated there is mounted within the tubular front driving member a coiled driving spring 40, the upper end of which is connected with the rear driving member 2| for rotation thereby in a forward direction. In the present-arrangement the inwardly extending "portion 22 of the rear driving member is "shaped to conform to the contour of the rear end of the spring 40 and is provided with a shoulder '4l which engages the end of the rearmost winding resistance is offered to the rotation of the latter. In the preferred construction a spring seat 42 is provided for the front end of the spring 40 and is in the form of an annular member arranged within the front driving member and supported on the laterally extending parts 29 of the-supporting sleeve 28. This spring seat may be of any suitable character but is preferably shaped to conform to the contour of the front end of the spring and is provided with a shoulder 43 which will be engaged by the end of the front winding of the spring, thus causing the rear driving member, spring and spring'seat to normally rotate as;

a unit. As has been stated, the spring seat 42 rests upon the laterally extending lugs 29 of the supporting sleeve 28, and it is provided'on its front surface with cam lugs adapted to engage and cooperate with the lugs 29, the upper corners of which are beveled as shown at 45, to provide cam surfaces. The cam surfaces 44 and are of such a character that in the normal operation of the driving mechanism the supporting sleeve and consequently the front driving member which is connected with that sleeve will be caused to rotate with the spring seat-but when excessive resistance is offered to the rotation of the front driving member the spring 32 in the supporting sleeve will yield to permit the cams of the spring seat to ride over the supporting lugs 29.

The rear driving member may be connectedthe power unit. The clutch members I3 and 46- areheld normally in their separated positions, this being preferably accomplished by a spring pressed plunger 41 mounted in the hollow shaft I 2 and engaging the rear end of the spindle 23.

If desired, a sleeve 60 may be arranged within the driving spring 40 to contact with the convolutions thereof and prevent the lateral distortion of said spring.

In the operation of the apparatus the wrench, or other tool I3 is engaged with the nut, or other work, the motor being in operation, and forward pressure exerted upon the power unit which causes the same to move forwardly with relation to the driving members and thus operatively engages the two clutch members and causes the rear driving member to be rotated by the motor.

This rotary movement is transmitted through- 42 and the cam lugs 44 on the spring seat will ride over the lugs 29. of the supporting member and will then again be moved forwardly so that they will again engage the lugs at the end of a half rotatibn of the spring seat. The lugs on the springiseatwill engage the lugs 29 with a severe impact which will tend to further tighten the nut and will then again ride over the lugs. Usually the spring seat is permitted to-make several rotations in this mannerso that the supporting lugs 29 will be subjected to a series of impacts which will fully tighten the nut. When moving the same axially of the driving member but imparting no driving movement thereto.

Consequently a mere reversal of the driving motor will not operate the wrench in a reverse direction. It is desirable that the apparatus shall be of such a character that it can be used for running a nut onto a bolt and also for running a nut oif of a bolt which, of course, requires a reversal of the direction of rotation of the wrench. In order to accomplish this result I have provided other means for connecting the front driving member and wrench with the power unit, this mechanism being preferably of 'such a character that the reverse rotation of the front driving member will be entirely independent of the driving spring 40. In the particular construction here illustrated the rear driving member' is utilized as a part of the driving connec- I tion between the front driving member and the motor, when the tool is to be operated in a reverse direction, and the mechanism is of such a character that the connection will be automatically established when the rear driving member is rotatedin a reverse direction. Preferably a one-way clutch is interposed between the rear driving member and the front driving member and so arranged that it will be completely inoperative when the rear driving member is rotated forwardly but will establish a tight connection between the rear driving member and the front driving member when the rear driving member is rotated in a reverse direction. In this particular construction the head 2| of the rear driving member, which is supported within the recess in the rear end of the front driving member, is provided with a series of tapered recesses 48 adapted to receive clutch members, such as rollers 49.

The recesses are so arranged that when the rear driving member is rotated forwardly the clutch rollers 49 will move to the larger ends of the recesses and will be inoperative but when the rear driving member is rotated in a reverse direction these clutch members will be moved into wedged engagement with the wallsofthe recesses and the flange 20 of the front driving member, thus establishing a positive and direct connection between the two driving members. The rear driving member may be rotated in a reverse direction by any suitable means but ordinarily this will be accomplished by merely reversing the direction of operation of the motor forming a part of the power unit. When the wrench has been placed in engagement with a nut and the motor reversed the reverse operation of the rear driving member will move the small ends of the recesses toward the rollers and cause the same to be gripped between the walls of the recesses and the flange and there will be some slight movement of the rollers after they haveengaged both the flange and the walls of the recesses. As a result the power will be applied to the wrench gradually, the rear driving member having a slight movement after the wrench has gripped the nut. Consequently a considerable part of the shock due to the action of the wrench on a tightly seated nut will be absorbed in the one way clutch, thus relieving the operator's arm of the shock or strain whlchresults from a sudden application of'power to the wrench when the latter is engaged with a tightly seated nut.

While we have shown and described one embodiment of our invention we wish it to be understood that we do not desire to, be limited to the details thereofas various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Ina power operated portable tool, a rear driving member, means for rotating the same, a tubular front driving member having parts extending inwardly from the wall thereof and I spaced one from .the other to form longitudinal slots, a supporting member adapted to be inserted in said front driving memberfrom one end thereof and having integral lugs extending into said slots, a spring acting on said supporting member to movethe same .rearwardly, a driving spring arranged within said front driving member and connected with said rear driving membeer for rotation thereby, and a spring seat mounted about saidsupporting member, supported by said lugs and connected with said driving spring for rotation thereby, said spring seat and said lugs having opposed cam surfaces to form a slip connection between the same.

2. In a power operated portable tool, a rear ing into said guideways, a spring coiled about said spindle within said sleeve and acting on said sleeve to move the same rearwardly, a nut threaded onto said spindle beyond the outer end of said spring, a collar slidably mounted in said sleeve between said spring and said nut, a driving sprlngarranged within said front driving member and connected with said rear driving member for rotation thereby, and an annular member mounted about said sleeve, suppo td by said lugs and connected with said driving spring for rotation thereby, said annular member and said lugs having opposed cam surfaces to form a slip connection between the same.

3. In a mechanism of the character described, a *rear driving member, means for rotating the same, a tubular front driving member, an annular part mounted in said front driving member and connected with said rear driving member for rotation thereby, a member mounted in said relation thereto,,lugs rigidly secured to said axi lly movable member, said lugs being of such radial length that said axially movable member may be inserted insaid front driving member from the rear end thereof, said front driving member having inwardly extending parts to form guideways for said parts and to, cause said front a driving member to rotate therewith, said lugs and said annular part havingopposed cam surfaces to form a slip connection between said driving members. a v CHARLES W. RIPSCH.

BERNARD H. WUEBBEN.

front driving member for axial movement with- 

